


How Derek Went To Work, Fell In Love, and Adopted A Baby

by Babystiles



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Doctor Derek Hale, Fluff, Foster Parent Stiles Stilinski, Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M, Single Parent Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:28:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25514317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babystiles/pseuds/Babystiles
Summary: "Ya know, I've had baby's before. I've had new borns, I've had premies, toddlers, preteens, and teens, and it never stops breaking my heart when i get one with even the slightest bruise or burn"
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 5
Kudos: 426





	How Derek Went To Work, Fell In Love, and Adopted A Baby

Derek walked briskly up the corridors, heart beating a little more than he knew he should allow it to, until he finally reached the doors he was looking for. He pushed through the double doors and bypassed the concerned looking nurses at the front desk in favor of charging towards the blonde shaking her head at the scruffy haired man in front of one of the exam rooms. 

"What happened?" He panted, walking into the exam room and pulling back the curtain. "What have we got?"

"Someone brought him in about ten minutes. Severely malnourished, dehydrated, and underdeveloped for the estimated age. Heart rate and temperature are normal, we've placed him on fluids and we've requested scans to check for any further complications due to the malnourishment" Erica listed. watching as Derek pressed his stethoscope against the child's chest, gently holding his hand when he flailed, screaming and kicking tiredly. 

"Good. His breathing is a little shaky. Keep a close eye on him please, accompany him to his screenings and page me if anything at all shows up. Vernon please see you can't find the mother and someone page Mr. McCall and let him know he might want to call social services" Derek looked down at the child, sighing. "I don't know when this became something people do and I'm so sorry this happened to you" he ran his finger again the little boy's palm before Erica wheeled him away. Derek ran his hand through his hair as he left the room, shaking his head as he leaned against the front desk. 

"I hate cases like these" Derek turned around and nodded his head at a serious looking doctor in a white coat, the name Lydia Martin stitched across the left side. 

"Yeah, me too. Can't wrap my head around how someone could just completely disregard such an innocent life that depends so much on you" Derek shook his head. 

"It is indeed a cruel world we live in, Dr Hale" the woman nodded once at him before she was walking away, her sleek black heels clicking ominously against the tiles. Derek sighed, that raspy little cry still echoing in his ears. He tried to shake it off, separate himself from his patient, but he couldn't and he didn't know why. That raspy cough echoed in the walls of his head and he couldn't get it out. 

-

"This little dude is a fighter, only eight months old" Erica said as she checked his readings one more time. Derek nodded absently, his finger gently rubbing the boy's sunken in belly. Something that should be warm and round with health was cold and sunken in. 

"Derek" the mans eyes closed at the tone in her voice. That warning, 'you're sinking in too deep' tone that he hasn't heard since he got involved with an abuse case two years ago. He had been great at compartmentalizing between his own morals and his cases, he treated wounds, fixed people up, and sent them on their way to do with their lives as they pleased. But that wasn't so easy when you're dealing with patients that can't think for themselves; patients who have to blindly trust people who barely know what they're doing. 

"He's only eight months old. His mother died giving birth, father is doing life in prisons, no surviving grandparents and no aunts or uncles willing to take responsibility for him. He was given this shitty hand at life, we have no idea who was caring– or rather not caring– for him this entire time and he has virtually no one in the world who is fighting for him right now. So don't tell me not to get too involved and don't tell me I'm getting too attached because I know, okay?" Derek looked up and shook his head as Erica stared at him sympathetically. "But who else is going to do that for him right now? I'll regret it later and you can tell me you told me so, but for now I'm going to care too much because he deserves that" that was final so Derek looked back down at the little boy and gently brushed over the top of his head. 

"Ok" Erica whispered, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "Ok" 

"Excuse me?" There was a knock on the open door and the two looked up at the same time. There was man standing there in a plaid shirt and wrinkled khaki pants. His hair was tousled and he had dark bags under his eyes but his face was also lax with softness and the warm hazel in those eyes were vibrant and kind. He was broad and muscled but also tall and lanky, limbs sure and strong and also stringy and soft. Derek stood up from his chair and took his hand away from the baby's crib. 

"Who are you?" Derek asked. 

"My name is Stiles Stilinski. I'm the foster parent they brought over" the man held his hand out with a soft, warm smile and Derek almost lost himself in the brilliance that that smile brought to this mans eyes. He wrapped his fingers around the mans slightly calloused but soft palm and shook his hand, feeling his slender finger against his hand sent a shiver through his spine. 

"I'm Dr Hale, it's nice to meet you" he managed to croak out. He could hear Erica snickering next to him and he made a mental note to keep her down in the pit the next day. 

"Very nice to meet you Dr Hale, may I?" The man gestured to the baby.

"You can touch him just don't try and pick him up, we're still trying to restore a lot of his strength" Derek gestured to the fluids and solutions they were feeding the baby through tubes. 

"Of course" Derek watched silently as the man slid up to the side of the crib and placed his hand gently against his stomach, the entirety of it trumping the skinny, pale torso and belly. 

"Poor baby didn't even get a year on this earth without being exposed to the harsh treatment it likes to offer" the man whispered, moving his hand up to run gingerly against the boy's head. 

"I'm going to go check on some patients" Erica whispered, winking at Derek before leaving the room. The man glared after her, but turned his eyes back to Stiles and the baby. 

"When will he be able to be discharged?" Stiles asked, his knuckle running softly up and down the little boy's emaciated arm. 

"Well his readings didn't show anything critical so you should be able to take him within the next few days. His heart was beating a little too fast for a while but I think it was just the distress on his underdeveloped lungs. He was probably a premie and he wasn't born in a hospital so it's a miracle that his body isn't completely falling apart" Derek shook his head, wheeling his chair back over to the crib and placing his finger against the little boy's palm, stiles' hand resting gently against his stomach. 

"Ya know, I've had baby's before. I've had new borns, I've had premies, toddlers, preteens, and teens, and it never stops breaking my heart when i get one with even the slightest bruise or burn" the man shook his head. "One time there was this little boy" he paused, brushing his finger across a rib. "I had only had my foster license for a year. He was two years old, completely immobile, no speech whatsoever, bruises everywhere, muscle movement was nowhere near where it should have been, he was.... he was neglected beyond every possible meaning of the word" he gently brushed his fingertips against the baby's head as he took a breath. "I had him for two years, held his hand through physical and speech therapy, we spent hours upon hours crying and struggling but we did it. He kicked ass in PT and speech and was adopted by this amazing couple out in Arizona" he sighed out softly, shaking his head. Derek looked up at the man, watching his eyes scan over every tiny detail of the baby boy's face, his lips turned down in a frown. 

"How do you do it?" He whispered, Stiles' eyes flicking up to his own then back down at the baby. 

"Give them up again?" Derek nodded. "People ask me that all the time and I never know what to say. I've had over thirty kids since I first got my license, that's over the past nine years. The longest I had a kid was seven years, I still see her sometimes" stiles looked up at Derek with a smile. "I take care of these kids for as long as I need to, give them as much love and attention they need until some lucky family gets them. I think the thing that keeps me from keeping all of them is thinking of those families. I get to be apart of the process so I meet these parents before they're considered. Some of them try for years to get pregnant, some of them are gay couples, but all of them deserve it. I still talk to all of them, sometimes they call, sometimes I call, they send cards, I send cards. Some people say I get too involved but I just care. These kids need someone to care" Stiles' eyes were trained on the little boy, tracing the tubes connected to him. 

"Yeah" Derek looked back down at the baby and the little fingers that were gripping his finger, so small and pale and too fragile. 

"He'll be just fine" Stiles whispered, smiling wide as the little baby boy laying in the hospital crib opened his eyes. Bright blue connected with Stiles' hazel and he lost his breath for a second. "Just fine" 

"I have to go check on other patients but I'll-" Derek stood up from his chair and his eyes connected with this mans. They met and his stomach swirled a bit at the soft little smile gracing the mans full pink lips. 

"Of course. Thank you Dr. Hale" he said, tone warm and gentle. Derek sighed as he left the room, turning to the right and immediately bumping into Erica, who was smirking her red painted lips in that know-it-all way she's far too good at. 

"Dr. Derek has a crush" She sang, twirling her stethoscope around. 

"I do not, you hush your mouth, she-wolf" Erica tipped her head back in laughter as she walked under. 

"Dr. Derek has a big fat crush on a cute little foster man" she continued to sing as she walked further down the hall. Derek groaned, running his fingers through his hair and tugging, forcing himself towards another patients room to check on them. 

-

Stiles ran his fingers through his hair as he stared down at the crib, gently running his finger against the baby's paper thin arm. 

"Hey little guy" their eyes met again and Stiles smiled, pressing his finger against the boys palm. "You're so handsome, aren't you? Yes you are, and I'm going to love you for as long as you need me to love you, okay?" 

"Lucas" Stiles looked up and his heart skipped a beat as that cute, gruffy looking doctor stepped into the room, his white coat and blue scrubs far too attractive for Stiles. 

"Pardon?" Stiles asked. 

"His name" Dr. Hale walked further into the room and stepped up beside the crib, gently placing his finger in the boy's palm. "His name is Lucas" Stiles watched the man watch the baby, something soft and warm taking over his eyes and making Stiles' stomach swirl. 

"Do you have kids, Dr Hale?" Stiles asked. 

"I'm sorry?" Dr Hale picked his head up again. 

"You get this soft sort of look when you look at Lucas and I feel like that's what I look like when I looked at the kids I care for. So I just thought you might have kids" Stiles shrugged, his cheeks pinking. 

"Um no, but I see a lot of sick and beaten kids here and it never stops feeling..." Dr Hale trails off, looking for the right words. 

"Like the world has failed them?" Stiles offers. The doctor looks up and smiles sadly. 

"Yeah" they both look down at Lucas, who was staring up at them with wide, baby blue eyes. 

"He's beautiful" Stiles reaches in and gently brushes his finger against the baby's cheek. 

"He is. And thankfully he's going to get to grow up and he won't remember any of this" Derek said. 

"What a shame, he has a pretty great doctor" stiles looks up with a soft, shy smile, his cheeks flushing. Dr Hales ears go red and he ducks his head to try and hide that fact from stiles. 

"I should- um- go make my rounds" dr Hale backs up into the chair and nearly falls, his ears going even redder. 

"See you soon Dr Hale" stiles smiles. 

"Derek" Stiles raises his eyebrows in question. "You can call me Derek" he clarified. 

"See you soon Derek" Stiles repeats softly. Derek smiled as he walked out of the door and stiles sighed as he looked down at Lucas. 

"That is one beautiful man, isn't it Luke?" Stiles smiles. 

-

Stiles smiles at the nurse at the desk as he walks past. He pushes into the pediatric ward and takes a sip of his coffee as he makes his way deeper into the hall. His stomach falls when he turns the corner and sees doctors scrambling around Lucas's bed, readying him to be wheeled out. Stiles drops his coffee in the trash and rushes over frantically. 

"What happened?" He shouts over the commotion. A blonde boy in light blue scrubs grabs at his shoulders and pushes him away. 

"Sir you can't be in here right now" he says. 

"What the hell happened?" He pushed at the small blonde boy, his eyes firmly on Derek, who was starting to wheel Lucas out of the room. 

"His lung collapsed and it sent him into heart failure. I'll send someone out with an update when I get a clearer picture" Derek didn't look up from Lucas as he pushed him further through the hall. Stiles followed with labored breath until the same blonde nurse was holding him back at the entrance of the OR rooms. 

"This is as far as you can go, I'm sorry" Stiles stumbled back, pressing his hand against his chest and struggling to breathe. 

"Stiles!" He whipped around and sighed heavily as a familiar red headed woman came walking down the hall. He couldn't bring himself to say anything, just allowed her to wrap him in her arms. 

"The hospital called the agency and I rushed down. They said his heart failed?" She pulled away, grabbing hold of his shoulders to steady him. He scrambled for syllables but nothing sensical would come out. The small blonde nurse that had held him back stepped up and cleared his throat. 

"Lucas's lung collapsed and the distress caused his heart to stop. They were able to stabilize him just enough to move him and they'll do whatever they can for him" he said. "I can escort you to the waiting room if you'd like" Lydia held her hand up and shook her head. 

"We know the way but thank you for your help" she gave him a small smile. "Tell Dr Hale we'll be waiting for his word" she didn't give the nurse a chance to respond before guiding stiles to the waiting room. 

Stiles sat on the edge of his seat for five hours. Lydia had left after hour two after Stiles' insistence that the agency needed her more than he did at the moment. Stiles stared at the ceiling for the next three hours, picturing Luke's baby blues and the way he had been breathing on his own just yesterday. 

"Stiles" he jumps at the sound of Derek's voice and practically springs out of his chair. The fallen look on Derek's face makes Stiles freeze, his eyes widening and his mouth parting. 

"He didn't-" stiles cuts himself off, his eyes filling with tears. Derek's eyes widen and he steps forward, placing him hands on Stiles' shoulders. 

"He's okay" he rushes to say, filling Stiles' lungs back up with air. 

"Oh my god" stiles falls into Derek's chest, breathing heavily against his scrubs. Derek hesitates but his arms go wrapped around Stiles and he holds him close. 

"It was touch and go for a while, his heart stopped again but I was able to repair the lung and he'll be on the ventilator until he can breathe on his own again" Derek explained softly. 

"Thank you. Thank you Derek" Stiles gripped onto him tighter, struggling to reorganize his thoughts. 

"You want to see him?" Derek asked. Stiles nodded, sniffling as he pulled away. Derek led him to the NICU and into the room where they were keeping an eye on Lucas and two other critical babies. Stiles sat beside Lucas's incubator and gently pressed his finger into the boy's palm. 

"Hey buddy, long night huh?" Stiles and Derek share a soft laugh. Derek takes a seat on the other side of the incubator and holds the boy's other hand. 

"You gave us quite a scare" Derek whispered, rubbing his thumb against the boy's wrist. 

"Yeah you can't do that anymore Luke, you had me worried" Stiles pulled in a shaky breath, still trying to gather himself together. Derek picked his head up and Stiles met his eyes with a soft smile. Derek returned it, his eyes dancing under the dull lights. 

"Sorry for the hugging thing, that probably wasn't appropriate" Stiles felt his cheeks pink up but he didn't want to take his eyes off of Derek. 

"Maybe not but..." Derek trailed off, his eyes flicking down to Stiles' lip. "I didn't mind" he looked down at Lucas as a cover up, getting distracted by the boy's piercing blue eyes. 

"No?" Stiles asked, pulling Derek's attention back. The doctor gave a shy, gentle smile and shook his head. 

"No" he said. 

\- 

"Are you serious?" Stiles asked, his mouth gaping open. Derek smiled as he nodded, lifting the top of the incubator off. 

"Yup. He's breathing on his own, he's only three pound under our goal and he's starting to become a lot more mobile. You can hold him now Stiles" Derek lifts the boy from the incubator and Stiles holds his breath as Derek carries him over. Stiles takes him gently, holding him with benevolent hands and cradling him with the upmost care. 

"He's not going to break, I promise" Derek chuckled, his hand lingering on Stiles' elbow. 

"He's still so fragile though" Stiles looks up at Derek with amazement in his eyes, holding Lucas gingerly. 

"He's getting stronger every day" Derek points out, gently running his hand along Lucas' head. The little boy was gripping Stiles' hoodie string, eyeing it with curiosity. 

"When do you think I'll be able to take him home?" Stiles asks, gently patting Lucas' onesie clad butt as the baby began drifting to sleep. 

"Most likely in the next week or so. He's not in any danger of lung or heart failure and his weight is almost where we want it to be. He recovering very well from his surgery and it's not likely that he'll need another one. You might be able to take him by Friday" Derek said, a small frown forming on his lips at the idea of not seeing Stiles and Lucas when he's making rounds. 

"I'm not sure how we're gonna do without you popping in everyday" stiles said, his eyes still cast down on Luke. 

"Yeah it's gonna be tough not seeing him..." Derek pauses hesitantly. "And you" he adds after a moment. Stiles looks up from Luke and smiles. 

"Maybe after he's... no longer your patient I- we can see you again. Outside of the hospital?" Stiles asked tentatively, rubbing his hand against Luke's back. 

"I'd like that" Derek's smile was shy but blinding. 

-

"Sabrina, Cassie is here" he yelled in the direction of the stairs as the sixteen year old walked inside. 

"How have you been Cassie?" Stiles asked. 

"Good. My moms on another bi-polar high so she's cleaning the chimney and she's already cleaned the oven, half of the basement, and the gutters, and it's barely 2pm. So I thought I'd just come here and hang out" She explained as she toed her shoes off and set them on the shoe rack. 

"Yeah, you're always welcome here you know that. You want a snack or something? I have those granola bars you like" Stiles said. 

"Yeah thanks. I haven't really eaten today, mom wouldn't let me in fridge because she just organized it" Cassie said, running her fingers through her pin-straight blonde hair as she followed him into the kitchen. He gave her a granola bar to eat while he made her a peanut butter and banana sandwich. 

"Hey Cas" Sabrina came shuffling into the kitchen with a nappy head of auburn hair, her freckled cheeks rosy red. 

"Were you sleeping? It's 2 in the afternoon" stiles chuckled, sliding Cassie her sandwich and a cold can of Coke. 

"Yeah, it's Saturday. I could sleep until 5pm and still go to bed at 8" Sabrina shrugged. 

"Stiles?" Stiles' eyes moved from Sabrina to the little girl that came running into the kitchen. Her arms were practically completely covered with Hello Kitty stickers, covering her pretty brown skin. 

"Yes darling?" He asked, deciding not to question the seven year old on her accessory choices. 

"Mica keeps trying to shoot me with the nerf gun" Riley places her hand on her hips and juts it out to emphasize her displeasure. 

"Okay baby, I'll talk to him. You want a snack?" He asked, scooping her up and settling her on his hip. 

"Yes please" she smiled brightly. He set her down at the kitchen table, called out for mica, then sliced up an apple. Mica came shuffling into the kitchen with an innocent smile and his head cocked. 

"Yes?" He asked sweetly. 

"Mica, I will be taking your nerf gun away if you shoot anyone else, got it?" Stiles said, squatting down to the four year olds height. 

"Okay" he mumbled, looking guiltily down at his shoes. 

"Okay. Would you like a snack?" He kisses the boy's forehead softly. 

"No thanks. Can I watch tv?" He asked. 

"Sure thing, one hour, okay?" Stiles said. 

"Okay" mica went running off to the living room just as the doorbell rang. 

"Who is that?" Sabrina asked from where she was eating a granola bar beside Cassie. 

"It's Derek and Luke" stiles smiled. 

"Oh it's your boyfriend" Cassie and Sabrina sang in unison. Stiles glared at them both before starting for the front door. He opened it and smiled as Luke instantly attached himself to his leg. 

"Stiles!" Luke yelled happily, squeezing his arms around the mans leg. 

"Hey buddy!" Stiles scooped the three year old up and kissed his cheek. Derek chuckled as he walked inside, shutting the door behind himself. 

"Hey" Derek greeted, pressing a sweet, chaste kiss to Stiles' lips. 

"Hey to you too" Stiles smiled. 

"Hi Luke, hi Derek" Sabrina and Cassie greeted as they walked towards the stairs. 

"Hey Bri, Hey Cas, how are you?" Derek asked. 

"Good. How are the babies of Beacon Hills?" Sabrina asked. 

"Passing around the flu" Derek sighed. Sabrina laughed before the girls disappeared upstairs. 

"Hi Derek!" Mica yelled from the couch, waving. Riley had joined him on the couch sometime as Stiles was answering the door. 

"Hi Mica. Hi Riley" Derek smiled. Stiles led him into the kitchen, where he set Luke down at the table. 

"Daddy, tv?" Luke asked, pointing to the living room. 

"Sure buddy" Derek nodded. Luke jumped off of the chair and toddled to the living room excitedly. 

"How are you?" Derek asked, wrapping his arms around Stiles' waist. 

"I'm good. Sabrina testified the other day against her mom so were just waiting for the next court date. She's been exhausted and really worried that they won't let her stay here. She's sixteen, she's doing so good in school, she's gotten her GPA way up, and she's even on the volleyball team" stiles explained quietly. 

"She went from failing in all classes and on the brink of being kicked out to an A's and B's. She went from trips to principles office every day to trying out for sports and maintaining healthy relationships with good kids. I know it can go either way but even if she doesn't get to stay, you did so much for her. You helped her realize how much she can do for herself, okay?" Derek comforted, running his hand up and down Stiles' spine. 

"Yeah, I know. Even if she doesn't stay I'll know that I did everything I could for her, I just really hope that they'll let me keep her" Stiles sighed. 

"I know" Derek soothed. 

"How's Luke been?" Stiles changed the subject. 

"Really good. He just informed me that he wants a race car bed" Derek said. Stiles laughed, shaking his head. 

"I missed him" stiles pouted. 

"You saw him yesterday" Derek chuckled. 

"I know, I just... I don't know. I wish you two could be here every night" stiles shrugged, looking down at the buttons on Derek's shirt. 

"What are you saying?" Derek asked hesitantly. Stiles looked up, his cheeks a soft shade of pink as he smiled. 

"I think I'm asking you to move in with me... with us" stiles said. 

"Really?" Derek's eyes lit up. 

"Yeah. I want you here all the time. The kids love you, they adore Luke. You're here all the time anyway, just stay" Stiles said, pulling Derek closer with his arms around the mans waist. 

"Okay" Derek smiled easily. 

"Okay?" Stiles questioned hopefully. 

"Okay" Derek pressed their lips together in a sweet, fulfilling kiss. 

"I love you so much" Stiles said between kisses. 

"I love you too" Derek smiled, kissing him a bit deeper.


End file.
